Press Release

Posted by Jake on June 26th, 2007 filed in liberty

Contact: Jake Wilson                                                                FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Cell: 909-973-8991

Email: Jakexwilson@aol.com

Website: helpliberty.com

FAMILY AND FRIENDS SEEK JUSTICE FOR LIBERTY JASWAL, PHD STUDENT KILLED IN HIT AND RUN
Suspects Still At Large 

After returning home on break from his PhD studies in UC San Diego, Liberty Jaswal was brutally killed by a hit and run driver in a Del Taco parking lot in  La Mirada.  This tragic event occurred around 2:15am on Saturday morning, June 23 while out with his cousin and friends.  A late 90’s white, Chevrolet Astro mini van sped into the parking lot and hit Jaswal, dragging him 60-70 feet, before finally running him over.  Jaswal was rushed to the UC Irvine Medical Center, where Deputies say he died two hours later.

Jaswal’s best friend, Jake Wilson who was an eyewitness to the incident reports that he heard someone in the van yelling, “Go! Go! Go!” before it sped away north on Los Coyotes Avenue.  The family is now asking for the public’s help in finding the driver, a Latino male in his 20’s as well as the passenger, a young, dark haired woman.  Deputies have released a surveillance video showing the white, Chevrolet Astro mini van speeding away from the scene, while two of Jaswal’s friends are chasing after it.  Detective Jeff Tibbets says, “The victim was struck. He tried to gain his balance. He got knocked over. The van accelerated and dragged him 60 to 70 feet.” 

Family and friends of Jaswal will be holding a press conference on Wednesday, June 27 after his funeral in order to offer a reward for any tips or information leading to the arrest and conviction of the suspects.  The press conference will be held at Memory Garden Memorial Park and Mortuary, 455 W. Central Ave.Brea, CAat 5pm.  A website helpliberty.com has been set up to assist in raising funds for the reward and also gives information about Jaswal’s life. Over $20,000 has been raised as a reward, and the family and friends are pleading that the driver and passenger come forward to tell their side of the story.  If anyone has any tips, please call Detective Jeff Tibbets at 562-466-5441.

Jaswal was pursuing a PhD at UC San Diego in Philosophy, after graduating from UC Berkeley.  “Liberty was the most peaceful person. He loved animals, nature, and the wilderness. He did a lot of environmental activism. … He’s never raised his voice to anybody ever,” 

Wilson said.  Jaswal was known to stand up to injustice and now family and friends of Jaswal are looking for someone to do the same for him.  

####For more information, please contact Jake Wilson at 909-973-8991. ####

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